Antioxidant Activity of Some Apiaceae Plants Wild Distributed in Aleppo, Syria

• Syria harbors diverse and endemic Apiaceae species of ecological significance. • Apiaceae plants provide culinary, therapeutic, and bioactive health properties. • Studied species show high phenolic content with strong antioxidant potential. • This study introduces understudied local endemic Apiaceae species for the first time. The Apiaceae family is renowned for its production of spices and dietary supplements, widely employed in both culinary and medicinal applications. This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant capacity of methanolic extracts from 19 Apiaceae species collected in Aleppo, Syria. The total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), total antioxidant capacity, and DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging activity were assessed. The results revealed significant variation in TPC and TFC among the tested species. Tordylium trachycarpum exhibited the highest phenolic content at 22.75 ± 0.32 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE) per gram of dry extract, whereas Anthriscus caucalis showed the lowest at 8.64 ± 0.87 mg GAE/g. The maximum flavonoid content was observed in Lagoecia cuminoides (21.01 ± 1.03 mg quercetin equivalents [QUE]/g), while Torilis tenella had the lowest (4.10 ± 0.74 mg QUE/g). In terms of antioxidant activity, Helosciadium nodiflorum demonstrated the most potent DPPH radical scavenging effect, with an IC₅₀ value of 17 ± 1.73 µg/mL. In contrast, Scandix verna showed the weakest activity, with the highest IC₅₀ value of 99 ± 1.4 µg/mL. Notably, 13 out of the 19 extracts exhibited IC₅₀ values below 50 µg/mL, indicating that the majority possess very strong antioxidant potential. This study highlights several endemic Apiaceae species that are being evaluated for the first time, suggesting their potential as promising natural sources of antioxidants for pharmaceutical or nutraceutical applications.